Bryan Taylor 1 Bryan Taylor Affilia.on: Republican Mobile: 913-957-2687 email: [email protected] Leavenworth Town Tall, August 13th. I would like to thank this commiMee for allowing me to offer my tes.mony. WHat could I offer as tes.mony? I’m not an academic. I don’t work in government, or public service. AlthougH I keep apprised of current events and received my degree in poli.cal science I don’t believe I Have any unique academic or cultural insigHts. Any studies or academic works I would offer are already readily available to this commiMee. THe only relevant informa.on I Have to offer is my par.cipa.on. Today, I would like to sHare my par.cipa.on and How it sHapes my point of view. It’s my Hope this redistric.ng commiMee will Hear my voice. In the last year I Have reacHed out as a cons.tuent to the following men wHo represent me. State Senator Kevin Braun, State Representa.ve David FrencH, Senator Jerry Moran, and Congressman Jake LaTurner. I reacHed out to Mr. Braun and Mr. FrencH aZer the 2020 Kansas legisla.ve session. AZer five months I did Have dialogue with Mr. Braun aZer I pointed out that neither responded to me. Mr. FrencH never responded to my email. Not only did Mr.FrencH never respond to my communica.on, He was copied on the en.re email thread. Allow me to empHasize, Mr. FrencH never responded. I reacHed out to Mr. Moran’s office in November of 2020. I sent a leMer througH His government website concerning the elec.on, and raised some ques.ons. Mr. Moran acknowledged the leMer and said He would respond, but never responded. Nine months later Mr. Moran Has yet to respond. I reacHed out to Mr. LaTurner in response to a piece He wrote in the AtcHisonGlobeNow.com. He wrote in the first four months of office He Has sent more than 10,500 pieces of cons.tuent correspondence and answered more than 1,700 pHone calls from cons.tuents. My ques.on was simply - this is amazing data, do you use it to formulate policy and guide your legisla.ve efforts to represent the second district? Within 24 Hours I received an automated response. THe response did not address any of the ques.ons I asked. I included the response with my tes.mony to demonstrate it’s lack of substance or relevance. In four months twelve thousand cons.tuents reacHed out to Mr. LaTurner’s office, and He is unable to communicate to me How, or if He uses these precious efforts of par.cipa.on by his cons.tuents to guide his legisla.ve agenda or legisla.ve votes. WHy is my experience material to the commiMees redistric.ng task? If It’s this difficult for me to engage elected offices, how difficult is it for others? I’m affluent, I Have resources, I Have an educa.on and even a degree in poli.cal science. I Have the rigHt zip code. I’m a registered republican, and up un.l Bryan Taylor 2 recently I supported men like this. If it’s this difficult for me to create dialogue with these men, How tougH it is for those wHo do not Have the background, resources, cHoices and affilia.on I do? You migHt be asking yourself, “Bryan this commiMee is drawing congressional districts. WHy are you discussing a state representa.ve, a state Senator, and a Federal Senator?” My response plainly is the beHavior of all these men wHo failed to engage me is the same. It is ins.tu.onal, and it is par.san. THese men in all four legisla.ve roles represent the par.es wHo drew the district and not the people wHo live in the district. If you create inequity at one level you are complicit and perpetuate inequity at every level. If you do not cHoose to preserve the voices of all neigHborHoods, all ci.es and all coun.es you will be complicit in allowing these men, and others wHo follow, to perpetuate indifference, apathy, estrangement, and neglect of their cons.tuents. Let’s remember these cons.tuents are me, you, and our neigHbors. We stand in line with eacH other, we sHop with eacH other, our kids play, go to scHool and compete together. In my leMer to Senator Moran I was concerned I would be unable to pass onto my niece the same democra.c country wHicH Has blessed me. I would like to sHare with this commiMee part of wHat I sHared with Senator Moran. Keep in mind this is wHat Senator Moran Has decided does not warrant a response. The America I know values strong courageous leaders. The America I know values democracy and the will of the people. The America I know holds precious our unique proposi<on of the peaceful transi<on of power. The America I know holds dear leaders who are willing to put the good of the country over their own personal needs. Can you help me understand for my niece how your ac<ons and inac<on preserve the America I know? The greatest gi? we can give subsequent genera<ons is an enduring democracy .… You are keeping millions of mothers, fathers, aunts, and uncles from giving future genera<ons a strong democracy with your choices. Is this commiMee full of strong leaders that will work to preserve our democracy by valuing every vote from every neigHborHood, every city and every county? I Hope for my niece that you are. If we dilute, suppress or priori.ze one voter over another we will cease being a democracy. I know it’s difficult for individuals to think on a scale outside their own interests or life.me. However, those of us in this room are stewards of our democracy at every level. We must think about our nieces, nepHews, cHildren and grandcHildren. We must, because the beHavior of the men wHo currently represent us, and the people in this city are not. THank you. Bryan Taylor From: Rep. Jake LaTurner [email protected] Subject: Response from Congressman Jake LaTurner Date: August 5, 2021 at 9:01 PM To: Bryan Taylor [email protected] Dear Mr. Taylor, Thank you for taking the time to contact me with your thoughts and questions. It is an honor to serve the people of Kansas' Second Congressional District. I truly appreciate your input, and I definitely make sure that the views of my constituents are considered when determining my support or opposition to any proposed legislation. Our representative democracy only works when citizens and their elected officials actively discuss the issues their community is facing. As your representative in Congress, I am committed to working for the best interests of Kansas' Second Congressional District. When working with my colleagues in Congress, the Administration, or with state and local officials, it is my responsibility to ensure the voices of Kansans are being heard. To follow what my team and I are doing for you in Washington and at home, follow me on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to my newsletter. I look forward to hearing from you in the future. Please do not hesitate to contact any of my offices in the future if we can be of any assistance or would like to voice your opinion. Again, thank you for reaching out. It is a privilege to serve you. Sincerely, Rep. Jake LaTurner Member of Congress To stay up to date on what I am doing in Washington and Kansas' 2nd District, sign up for my newsletter! SIGN UP Contact Me Visit my website to learn more! www.laturner.house.gov Washington, D.C. Topeka 1630 Longworth House Office Building 3550 SW 5th St. Washington, DC 20515 Topeka, KS 66606 Phone: (202) 225-6601 Phone: (785) 205-5253 Pittsburg 402 North Broadway Street Suite B Pittsburg, KS 66762 Phone: (620) 308-7450 [3MK4RD-PWDV] From: Senator Jerry Moran [email protected] Subject: Re: Your Message Date: November 13, 2020 at 7:44 AM To: [email protected] This message is to let you know that I received your email. Your thoughts are important to me and I will respond as soon as possible. I welcome you to use the following services to stay connected and to contribute your ideas and feedback: http://www.twitter.com/jerrymoran http://www.facebook.com/jerrymoran http://www.youtube.com/senatorjerrymoran Best regards, Jerry -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] Sent: 11/13/2020 8:43:15 AM To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> Cc: Subject: Email from Website Mr. Moran, I'm a Kansas constituent and registered Republican. I believe the Republican party is acting in opposition to the democratic institutions which have helped us govern this country and create a level of prosperity unique in this world. Based on your inactions you are enabling the Republican Party and the President to undermind the democratic institutions of this country leading to irreparable harm. With every day that goes by the diligent pursuit of a legal remedy turns into a rejection of the democratic process. As a leader and democratically elected Senator failing to stand up for the voters and institutions of this country makes you a willing participant in the rejection of American's democratic voice. I'm not educating you. You know this. This is a choice you are making. Here is my choice. When I speak to my friends, family, neighbors I will tell them you do not deserve their support.